Climbing over the seven foot wall to get into the starting chute, I looked around at my team of five, and wondered if we would have what it took. The Tough Mudder holds itself out as the toughest event on the planet, and this event in the Callaghan Valley promised to present a combination of the usual 12 mile runs, 20-25 obstacles, with the added benefit of winter conditions! more...

When resistance training with weights, ensure that you use a load that enables you to perform the exercise properly and meets your fitness goals. Far too often individuals will use a weight that is either too light to provide the proper resistance or too heavy resulting in a reduction in the range of motion, cheating to complete the reps or even injury.

If you are starting a new exercise, use a lighter weight to learn the proper form and technique, then gradually increase the weight with each workout while maintaining good form. Remember, fewer reps with a heavier load will develop muscular strength (5 to 8 reps) while more reps will develop muscular endurance (12 to 15 reps).